Parents say

Kids say

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.

Get it now on

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.

X of Y

X of Y

X of Y

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Educational Value

The show intends to entertain rather than to educate.

Positive Messages

Kids see the characters solve problems, but their methods are so fantastical, their messages hardly translate to real life. Some stories have marginally positive themes about concepts like self-image, but the extremes to which the plot goes to illustrate them often overshadow the good, as when an obese boy learns to accept his rotund belly after Uncle Grandpa shows him how to use it as a weapon and a toy. Body-related humor is less gross than bizarre; Uncle Grandpa is adept at detaching or opening parts of his body, he can expel objects from various orifices, and his tiger emits a rainbow trail from his hind end when he moves.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Uncle Grandpa isn't a model of responsible adult behavior, but the kids do have fun while they solve problems with him. He's always joyful, persistently optimistic, and undaunted by any challenge.

Violence & Scariness

Slapstick fantasy humor with hitting, punching, and kicking. Explosions and weapons (laser guns, mostly) cause their targets to disappear. Some of the characters –- including Uncle Grandpa –- can change forms, lose body parts, and eat their own eyeballs and noses at will with no lasting effect. The characters' adventures usually involve some kind of mild peril like encounters with animal zombies or menacing wolves, but little comes of them.

Sexy Stuff

Language

Occasionally "stupid."

Consumerism

Rarely you'll see pop culture references like fleeting glimpses of One Direction posters on the walls.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although Uncle Grandpa is a cartoon, it isn't appropriate for very young kids. Body-related gross-out humor is the main offender, as issues like obesity, farting (including a tiger who passes a rainbow trail from his rear end that doubles as a weapon), and the removal and ingestion of one's own body parts are revisited ad nauseam. There's no semblance of reality to the meandering, fantasy-based plots, and supporting characters are often rude to each other. Despite Uncle Grandpa's craziness, he often proves himself helpful in a roundabout way. Violence is limited to physical exchanges with punching and kicking, as well as the occasional laser gun showdown or stray explosion.

What's the story?

UNCLE GRANDPA follows the exploits of Uncle Grandpa (voiced by Pete Browngardt) –- said to be the uncle and grandpa of everyone in the world -– as he travels around the world in an RV keeping tabs on kids and helping him solve their problems. He's joined by his trusty fanny pack, Belly Bag (Eric Bauza), holder of all things necessary in their adventures; Mr. Gus (Kevin Michael Richardson), the tough-talking dinosaur who's the muscle of the operation; Pizza Steve (Adam Devine), a smooth-talking slice of pepperoni pizza; and Uncle Grandpa's pet, Giant Realistic Flying Tiger, who often doubles as a mode of transportation for the crew.

Is it any good?

Uncle Grandpa falls in step behind the likes of Adventure Time with Finn and Jake and Chowder as another example of Cartoon Network's proclivity for bizarre, grotesque, but ultimately enticing cartoons. His moniker is a joke within itself, since he's the comical extension of the stereotypical crazy uncle, but his gags take the old "Pull my finger" crack to new heights. This guy is like the Garbage Pail Kids version of Inspector Gadget –- he can remove body parts, eat them himself or feed them to his pet tiger, propel objects from his navel, and play basketball with his pliable belly. It's not exactly appetizing, and he's a little nuts, but it's the kind of wacky humor that, for better or worse, is sure to draw crowds.

Certain visual aspects of the series show an imaginative departure from the common cartoon. The animation style incorporates pictures in clever ways, not only in whole forms (as with Giant Realistic Flying Tiger), but also in parts of the cartoon characters in an intriguing way. Even so, it can't compensate for a severe lack of substance deserving of kids' time in this quirky show.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about why this show –- and others like it –- employ bathroom humor. Do you like gross-out laughs? Did any of these go too far?

Kids: Does any of this show's content reflect the reality of your life? Would Uncle Grandpa's tactics for solving problems work for you? Do you think the show is meant to be realistic in any way? Why or why not?

Who are some of the more "colorful" people in your life? What makes you different from them? How do you find common ground with different types of people? How can our differences be a strength?

Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century.

Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Help center

Follow Common Sense Media

Common Sense, Common Sense Media, Common Sense Education, and Common Sense Kids Action, associated names, associated trademarks, and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN 41-2024986).